I have been playing around with mandolin lately, and have been trying to learn Ry Cooder's version of Goin to Brownsville from his first album. I can get a lot of the things he does alright, but when he goes to the IV chord a lot of times there are some higher sounding chords I can't quite get, does anyone know how to play this on mandolin, or know of any tab on the net or in a book?

Doesn't sound that way to me, It sounds like the song starts with a kick drum, and just mando and electric guitar in the right channel during the first verse, and then a second electric guitar comes in for the second verse until the end of the song. I really don't hear a uke in there. I'm starting to think now that he is just playing partial chords on a couple of strings, maybe like the 3rd and 7th for the C chord, etc.

This may not be the most articulate reply (I can't write tablature), but I'll give it a shot.

The song is just G, C, D chord progression occasionally tossing in the sevenths. On the G of the opening, he plays a standard open position G chord using the long finger on the 3rd fret top course, index on the second fret 2nd course, then alternately hammers the ring finger on the 5th fret 3rd course and 5th fret 2nd course. At the transition to the C he steps down from the G one fret then into a G7, then plays the two-fingered C chord open position and drops it into a C7. The the D/D7.

He occasionally runs the whole thing up to the octave at the 12th fret, or just plays the double stops of the partial chord shapes there. Also occasionally uses the G chord at the 5th fret with the 3rd and 2nd courses barred with the index and the ringfinger at the 1st course 7th fret.

The guitar part is in open G with the same two-fingered chord shapes in the open positions as for "Tumblin' Dice" occasionally slid up to 7th and 5th frets.

Jesus, what an explanation. This is why I don't write music books for a living. Sorry for the incoherence...I worked nights last night and have had about 3 hours sleep in the last 24.

This may not be the most articulate reply (I can't write tablature), but I'll give it a shot.

The song is just G, C, D chord progression occasionally tossing in the sevenths. On the G of the opening, he plays a standard open position G chord using the long finger on the 3rd fret top course, index on the second fret 2nd course, then alternately hammers the ring finger on the 5th fret 3rd course and 5th fret 2nd course. At the transition to the C he steps down from the G one fret then into a G7, then plays the two-fingered C chord open position and drops it into a C7. The the D/D7.

He occasionally runs the whole thing up to the octave at the 12th fret, or just plays the double stops of the partial chord shapes there. Also occasionally uses the G chord at the 5th fret with the 3rd and 2nd courses barred with the index and the ringfinger at the 1st course 7th fret.

The guitar part is in open G with the same two-fingered chord shapes in the open positions as for "Tumblin' Dice" occasionally slid up to 7th and 5th frets.

Jesus, what an explanation. This is why I don't write music books for a living. Sorry for the incoherence...I worked nights last night and have had about 3 hours sleep in the last 24.

Best wishes,

Pod

Sleep or no sleep, works for me. At least it makes sense, (which says something about the state of my brain). ) I can't wait to get home and try it out. Thanks for your help.

Here's a lick to get started. The double stops are quarter notes, one beat each. The X is a quarter rest. The notes following the X are eighth notes. There is a slide from the 1 on the second string and the 2. The last measure has 4 quarter notes. The colon (:) is a repeat sign. Hope this is helpful.